Starting Monday, Sarah is no longer in her normal math class. She is going to be working in an independent math study group with five other students in the library with the teacher who is responsible for the advanced placement math students. She is excited to start working in her small group and we are very proud of how well Sarah is doing in school and how seriously she takes her work.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Kris's "Party"
On the 6th, I took Kris out for her birthday. It was like pulling teeth! I had been planning a little get together at a club to see a local band and have a few drinks and food with some of Kris’s best friends from HS, or at the very least from quite some time ago. It was just something I threw together about two weeks before. In fact, Kris didn’t want to go. She kept saying that she didn’t want to go, she would rather just stay home, until one of the girls let it slip that Missy was going as well. I suppose she felt like she had to then. Luckily I was able to surprise her by inviting a couple of her friends whom she hasn’t seen in quite some time. I felt bad because there was one person who we haven’t seen in close to 10 years that I was able to track down about (2) days before and she and her husband already had plans and were going to be out of town.
We stayed out until almost midnight. It was actually a pretty good time. The only bad part is that I think I caught Kris’s cold and I was feeling just terrible the whole night.
Sarah spent the night babysitting Alison. This was pretty much their first time home alone at night. Ali was pretty bummed out and didn’t want us to go, but we eventually convinced her that Sarah knew what she was doing and we let them stay up as late as they wanted, and pulled out the sofa sleeper for them to watch TV.
So the music was good, company was good, and the kids were good. Not a bad way to celebrate being 40.
We stayed out until almost midnight. It was actually a pretty good time. The only bad part is that I think I caught Kris’s cold and I was feeling just terrible the whole night.
Sarah spent the night babysitting Alison. This was pretty much their first time home alone at night. Ali was pretty bummed out and didn’t want us to go, but we eventually convinced her that Sarah knew what she was doing and we let them stay up as late as they wanted, and pulled out the sofa sleeper for them to watch TV.
So the music was good, company was good, and the kids were good. Not a bad way to celebrate being 40.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Happy 40
Shhh.... Kris turned 40 on March 3rd. I ended up taking the day off so Kris wouldn’t have to do anything, and it is a good thing I did. She was sick and spent half the day napping. But the girls were both up early for school and Sarah wanted to give Kris her birthday card before she left for school.
Luckily she was feeling a little better by the time the girls got home from school. We even got her a cake (against her wishes).
Notice the haze. That is the smoke coming off of all those candles that Kris blew out. (hahaha)Happy Birthday, and welcome to the 40 club.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Open House
March 1st Kris, Alison, and I had to go to Shady Lane, Ali’s school this fall, for an open house. They principal there had a presentation for all the parents and students that would be coming over in the fall to meet the staff and to get to know the school. While it was a nice presentation, and the staff all seems very nice, especially the principal, we still just feel like it isn’t Riverside.
I am sure that we will end up liking it there just fine, but Kris and I both feel like we are losing the whole “family feel” of the school. Maybe it is just that we are on a first name basis with all the staff at Riverside and that we have seven years of rapport built up there. We just aren’t going to have that at Shady Lane. And since Alison will be there for three years, it is going to be hard to build up the kind of rapport with the staff that we enjoyed at Riverside, because as soon as you start getting comfortable, Ali will move on to middle school.
One thing that was nice was that one of the teachers at Shady lane was at Riverside a couple of years ago, and she recognized us right away. She will be teaching Ali’s grade next year, so maybe she’ll be lucky enough to have Alison in her class.
I am sure that we will end up liking it there just fine, but Kris and I both feel like we are losing the whole “family feel” of the school. Maybe it is just that we are on a first name basis with all the staff at Riverside and that we have seven years of rapport built up there. We just aren’t going to have that at Shady Lane. And since Alison will be there for three years, it is going to be hard to build up the kind of rapport with the staff that we enjoyed at Riverside, because as soon as you start getting comfortable, Ali will move on to middle school.
One thing that was nice was that one of the teachers at Shady lane was at Riverside a couple of years ago, and she recognized us right away. She will be teaching Ali’s grade next year, so maybe she’ll be lucky enough to have Alison in her class.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Leadership Conference
Sarah received an invitation to attend a leadership youth conference. As a requirement, she has to write an essay on what it means to be a leader. She is a little freaked out by it, mainly because she doesn’t like to write essays. Kris and I told her that we would give her a hand if she wanted.
The conference is being sponsored by the Menomonee Falls Police Dept and the keynote speaker will be the MF Chief of Police. This is going to be the third time in a year the Sarah is going to have met the chief. Last year when her troop received their silver awards for girl scouts the chief was the main speaker, and then she got to meet her again when Sarah was named student of the month by the Menomonee Falls Rotary Club. Maybe she’ll remember Sarah? Probably not, but all in all, this will look good on college applications, and with the way I hear admissions are going now, any advantage she can get will only help.
The conference is being sponsored by the Menomonee Falls Police Dept and the keynote speaker will be the MF Chief of Police. This is going to be the third time in a year the Sarah is going to have met the chief. Last year when her troop received their silver awards for girl scouts the chief was the main speaker, and then she got to meet her again when Sarah was named student of the month by the Menomonee Falls Rotary Club. Maybe she’ll remember Sarah? Probably not, but all in all, this will look good on college applications, and with the way I hear admissions are going now, any advantage she can get will only help.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Honors Breakfast
Friday I had breakfast with Sarah at school. Apparently for the past three years the principal has held a breakfast for the 6th 7th and 8th graders who made the honor roll. Boy, what a big deal that was. Sarah finished her first semester with a 4.0 so she got invited, but so did about another 200 kids, and then there was at least one parent with everyone. I was the only one who could go because someone had to stay home and get Alison on the bus for school, so unfortunately, Kris chose to do that.
The Superintendent of the district gave a short speech and there was also a short talk by a couple of members of the Milwaukee Wave encouraging the students to always strive to do their best, comparing schoolwork to playing soccer. Hey, what else are they going to do. Sarah will get to go to a Wave game on St. Patricks Day as a reward for being an honor student too.
On the down side, I was able to see what kind of food they have to deal with in the school cafeteria... YUCK!
The Superintendent of the district gave a short speech and there was also a short talk by a couple of members of the Milwaukee Wave encouraging the students to always strive to do their best, comparing schoolwork to playing soccer. Hey, what else are they going to do. Sarah will get to go to a Wave game on St. Patricks Day as a reward for being an honor student too.
On the down side, I was able to see what kind of food they have to deal with in the school cafeteria... YUCK!
Riverside Talent Show
Last Thursday was the annual Riverside talent show and Alison had been dead set on doing something in it. Sarah had done it since 2nd grade and since Ali had never performed, and it is her last year at Riverside, she really wanted to do it. Well the day of the show, I got home early to help get ready and Ali was crying saying she didn’t want to do it anymore. She was getting scared and complaining that her stomach hurt. Well it was a bad case of stage fright. After about an hour of coaxing we settled her down and we left for the show. As soon as we got there, Ali was fine. She sat with a couple of friends and waited her turn patiently watching the other acts. Finally it was her turn and she was perfect. She had no missteps and made all her marks. It was nice to see her so happy when it was all done.
The next day they held the same show in an assembly at school. Kris was Ali’s class’s mystery reader for Friday and she was there for the show. Again, Alison did a great job. The kids were all clapping during her routine and she was apparently having a hard time hearing the music but she stuck with it and finished. We are very proud of her for being brave enough to go in front of such a large audience all by herself. Hopefully this will help with her anxiety.
The next day they held the same show in an assembly at school. Kris was Ali’s class’s mystery reader for Friday and she was there for the show. Again, Alison did a great job. The kids were all clapping during her routine and she was apparently having a hard time hearing the music but she stuck with it and finished. We are very proud of her for being brave enough to go in front of such a large audience all by herself. Hopefully this will help with her anxiety.
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